More Head Movement (diary entry)

19.06.18   The fifth hour of my client's early morning Basic Course in Western Boxing for Martial Arts Cross Training continued the focus on bringing hooks into the structures established in the first three lessons. Although footwork was covered, more attention was placed on upper body mobility and using it for the purpose of better application of techniques.   We began with some mirror footwork. Here I emphasised developing keener observation and reaction skills. I encouraged my client to look for openings and be more aware of both distancing and closing the gap. Then I gave a short clinic on shadow boxing. Here we used visualisation to make this type of training more productive and relevant. I described different types of fight and my client react to these descriptions.   Training then changed to the focus mitts where it stayed for the rest of the lesson. We began slipping to the outside and inside, before building on the jabs and crosses. I looked at better positioning after slipping and used a follow-on combination to help create a goal for my client. For example, if you have a short jab/cross to follow onto your slip inside/cross you are less likely to over commit and be more likely to self-correct any imbalances.   I then isolated the hook to the head. This was trained as a single technique, then with a bob/weave movement. It was added onto the standard one-two jab/cross from where we isolated the transition between the cross and the lead hook. Guards were checked and then the previous slipping movements were added. My client was trained in the standard jab/cross/hook number three combination plus variations with slipping, bobbing/weaving and a body hook. We then covered hooking the body and head off the same hand, which was then layered with the bobbing/weaving. The rear hook was then added, trained in isolation and then added to a jab. Bobbing and weaving was then brought back in and we also trained opposite side hooking to the body and head.   The lesson finished with a focus on bobbing and weaving into various combinations. The head movement was kept constant for this particular exercise.